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Ty Monroe Murray (born October 11, 1969), is an American former professional rodeo cowboy. He competed in the three "roughstock" events; bronc riding, bronc riding, and bull riding. He won nine world championships in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA); seven in All-Around (1989–1994 and 1998) and two in bull riding (1993 and 1998). He was also one of the co-founders and a board adviser of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). From 2005 to 2020, he was also a regular color commentator for several televised PBR events.
In 2023, Murray was ranked No. 11 on the list of the top 30 bull riders in PBR history.
At two years old, Murray's father put him on calves, but rode alongside and held him. When he started walking, he got spurs, and he spurred his mother's sewing machine cover to pieces. At eight years old, he helped his father break colts. At nine years old, he rode his first bull. That 1,800 pound brindle just loped around, so his father warned him it was not typical. Murray felt invincible back then. However, the second bull threw him and stepped on his jaw, breaking it. Murray figures he would have quit after that had his affection for the sport not been complete. At 12 years old, Murray rode his first bareback horse in a rodeo. It was the first time he had been somewhat scared riding livestock; he referred to it as "spooky."
At 12 years old, Murray purchased a mechanical bucking machine with money he saved doing chores. He joined the Deer Valley High School gymnastics team to improve his rodeo skills. Since the meets were on the weekends, though, he never actually competed in a meet.
Larry Mahan first paid attention to Murray when he was about 13 years old. Mahan, world champion rodeo competitor, was Murray's hero. Mahan noticed him at a Little Britches rodeo. When Mahan heard Murray was going to compete in all three riding events, that piqued his interest. He wanted to meet someone who was competing like he had done. Mahan called Murray to invite him to his place in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They spent that summer flying around the West in Mahan's plane participating in several different activities. Murray soon began a weightlifting program. That was when Murray started participating in gymnastics.
Later Murray was mentored by the world champion, who had won more National Finals Rodeo (NFR) first place "All Around Cowboy" championships than anyone in history. When Murray was in third grade, his teacher passed out a paper that asked students, "If you could do anything in your life, what would it be?" Murray immediately wrote out, "I want to beat Larry Mahan's record."
Murray competed at the Reno Rodeo Championship at the end of June. Although he did not win any events, he tied third in the saddle bronc event and made it to the finals in bull riding. Out of 11 bulls, only 3 cowboys made rides. Murray was bucked off by a bull named Copenhagen Times in two seconds. Despite this, Murray earned $5,449, enough to win the all-around. Murray was reluctantly happy to win the all-around without winning any events. He was also frustrated at not scoring in the bull riding finals. Consistency won the all-around, but it was hard won.
By Labor Day, Murray was 2nd in the All-Around World Standings. He was $1,000 behind his uncle, Butch Myers. Then, two weeks, later, Murray was leading the standings. On September 19, Murray's earnings were $84,044; his uncle had $82,465, and Clay O'Brien Cooper had $76,967. Near the end of October, the race was looking close and time was running out before the NFR. But it was obvious Murray would qualify.
This time for the NFR, he qualified for the NFR in the bareback riding and the saddle bronc riding. He almost qualified for bull riding.
He drew a bareback mare named Kattle Kate. Kattle Kate was owned by Flying U Rodeo. Murray made a good ride, scoring a 78. He tied for sixth in the fifth round. Next up was Bad River from Harry Vold. Murray made a great ride on this saddle bronc, scoring a 77. In the ninth round, Murray scored 75 on a saddle bronc ride on Copenhagen Joe and finished fourth in the round. In the eighth round, he scored 74 on the bronc Skoal Exorcist. On the final round Sunday, Murray started with the bareback event. His draw was a horse named Rabbit. Rabbit was a Mesquite Championship Rodeo horse. He had a good ride, scoring 78. He finished that round in sixth place. That put him almost out of reach in the bareback average (which paid a large bonus). All that remained between him and the all-around title was a mare named Oil City Red. The mare's first four jumps were famous and hard to get through. But if one did manage them, they could get a good ride. Murray made it through and scored a 73; he thought probably not good enough. He made sixth place in the saddle bronc average for the finals. An official soon found Murray's parents to congratulate them on their son's win. That was the beginning of Murray's all-around world championships. He was also the youngest winner of the title.
He and his uncle Butch Myers were the only two cowboys that year who qualified in more than one event. Nephew and uncle had a friendly competition for the all-around that year. Myers had a $2,786 lead over Murray heading into the finals. Murray placed on 7 of his 20 horses, winning $58,031 in his first NFR. He bypassed Myers by $21,202. Murray became the youngest all-around champion that year. Previously, Jim Shoulders had held that position for winning at age 21 in 1949. Also, that year, Murray won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association's all-around, saddle bronc, and bull riding titles.
About a month after Murray won his championship, he and Sharp moved out of Odessa into a place in Benbrook, Texas. It's a little south of Fort Worth. Not long after that, Murray received a sponsorship offer from well-known clothing company. He turned the offer down, which just was not done back then, ending the call with an instruction for them to contact his agent next time. Back then, rodeo cowboys did not have agents. Even 20 years after winning his six titles, Larry Mahan was still getting the standard deal Murray turned down. When Murray went for deals, he was selective. He also went outside rodeo, getting deals with companies such as Post, No Fear Sportswear, and other sportswear labels. His tactics paid off.
One of Murray's goals this season was to improve his bull riding, in order to qualify for the NFR in all 3 roughstock events. His first event that season was the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado, where he won the all-around title. At January's end, he held the fifth spot in the World Standings and had a good lead in the all-around World Standings.
In Rapid City, South Dakota, Murray was matched with Mr. T. Mr. T is still considered one of the rankest bulls ever. At the time, he was the rankest bull, and most cowboys did not want to draw him. Mr. T was nasty and almost impossible to ride. He had only been ridden once before. Marty Staneart rode him at Cheyenne Frontier Days. He had dispatched 187 cowboys. Somehow Murray stayed on this bull and managed to stay in the middle of the bull for a qualified ride and get a score.
Murray continued to win all-around titles that season, at rodeos such as Colorado Springs, Phoenix, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. By May, Murray considered that all three of his events were at the same skill level. Then on May 19, 1990, at the Redding Rodeo in California, Murray had an incident. On a saddle bronc named Road Agent Murray rode well, scoring 72 points. As Murray was dismounting, his left foot hung in the stirrup for a second. Instantly, he was drawn underneath. He found himself facedown in the mud. The horse stepped on him and kicked him. Then as Murray tried to crawl away, he was kicked again. The hoof his right elbow. Murray ended up with stitches in his head, bruised ribs, and a broken elbow. He missed six weeks.
Murray was back to competition in July even though his elbow was in a brace. He competed at Reno Rodeo. He won the all-around and bronc riding titles. He qualified for the NFR again that season. He was fifth in the World Standings in bull riding. He was sixth in the World Standings in saddle bronc. He was seventh in the World Standings in bareback. Thus, he had qualified in all three roughstock events. Murray was the third cowboy to qualify for all three roughstock events in the NFR (and first in 17 years).
So it was back to the Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. In Round One, Murray tied for second in bull riding. He also tied for second in the bareback. In the Second Round, he and Lambert split first place in saddle bronc. Also in the Second Round, Murray placed fourth in bull riding. Murray continued to ride well in additional rounds. On Friday, December 7, in Round Eight, Murray had one of his best bareback rides of the year. He scored 84 points on Sippin' Velvet. He won the round with that score. When Murray finished that round, he had surpassed $200,000; having earned $203,552. He was the first cowboy to win over $200,000. He had two rounds to go.
The amount of earnings after Round 8 also assured him the all-around championship. It did not mean Murray would take it easy in the next two rounds however. In the next night, Round Nine, Murray has his next serious incident. Murray drew a saddle bronc of 1,200 pounds. A gelding named Bo Skoal. Murray could tell the horse was "off" that night. The horse flipped over backward after he got out of the gate. Murray was ready for him or he might have been under the horse when he fell. Still, he was not quite fast enough. His right knee got caught. The horse hit the knee and then rolled around on it. The pain was unbearable for Murray. It turned out the knee was not broken but was an intense bruise. He couldn't move it. Murray had to skip the rest of the Round Nine and Round Ten.
Adriano Moraes was the first world champion for the PBR. All of Murray's PBR competition took place on the Bud Light Cup Series, as it was the PBR's only tour that year.
In January 1999 in Worcester, Massachusetts, Murray rode Lock & Load for 87 points; the bull scored 42.50 points. In March in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he rode Lock & Load for 89.50 points; the bull scored 44 points. In October 1999 in Columbus, Ohio, he rode the bull yet again for 87.50 points; the bull scored 43 points.
In January, Murray rode Bocephus in Greensboro, North Carolina for 87.50 points while the bull scored 43.00 points. He also made a qualified ride on this bull in June in Nashville, Tennessee for 84 points and the bull scored 41 points. In February in Guthrie, Oklahoma, Murray rode Orleans for a score of 82 points while the bull scored 40 points. In March, Murray bucked off 1998 PBR World Champion Bull Moody Blues in Odessa, Texas. He also bucked off Moody Blues in Guthrie, Oklahoma in February 2001; the bull scored 45 bull points. In September, in Reno, Nevada, Murray rode Copenhagen Zandy for a very high score of 95 points; the bull scored 46.50 points. In October in Columbus, Ohio, Murray rode 5 Barracuda for 90.50 points while the bull was scored 44.50 points. In October, Murray rode Palace Station Express for 93.50 points while the bull scored 46.00 points. He also rode the same bull in January 2000 in Greensboro, North Carolina for 91 points and the bull scored 45.00 points.
In October in Columbus, Ohio, Murray made a qualified ride on 5 Jersey Joe for 87 points; the bull scored 42.50 points. He also made a qualified ride on him in February 2001 in Anaheim, California for 93.50 points; the bull scored 46 points.
In 2006, Murray was featured in the Miller Lite "Man Laws" series of commercials with movie star Burt Reynolds. Murray is currently a commentator for the PBR on CBS.
In 2007 Murray, along with his wife Jewel, appeared in the ABC reality television series , featuring a dozen celebrities in a stock car racing competition. In the first round of competition, Murray matched up against Skateboarding Tony Hawk and Actor Krista Allen. John Elway won the series in the final match. In the summer of that same year, CMT televised Ty Murray's Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge. Murray attempted to teach nine celebrities how to ride a bull, survive a fall, and compete at one major PBR event. In January 2008 he appeared as himself in an episode of .
On February 8, 2009, it was announced that both Murray and Jewel would be contestants on the eighth season of Dancing with the Stars, signifying the first time a husband and wife appeared as contestants on the show in the same season; however, Jewel had to withdraw from the competition due to an injury sustained during pre-season practice. Murray was partnered with new Dancing with the Stars professional dancer Chelsie Hightower. Murray was eliminated in the tenth week semifinals. Also in 2009, Murray and Jewel appeared on the HGTV Celebrity Holiday Homes special.
In January 2010 Murray and Jewel appeared on the ABC reality series . On February 22, 2010, Murray was co-host of WWE Raw on USA Network with Jewel where they had a bull riding competition for the WWE Divas.
When their relationship became serious enough, Jewel moved into Ty's ranch in Stephenville, Texas. As Ty got to know her, he discovered that her ranching background was much stronger than he and his buddies realized. On a pack trip, they discovered just how tough she was. She grew up in a house with no amenities, no heat, no electricity, and no running water, with an outhouse, so she was right at home in the cabin he had built on his ranch that similarly outfitted. Likewise, Jewel brought Ty into her music world; they co-wrote the song "Till We Run Out of Road" together one night. The song is featured on her This Way album. The song is about Murray and his former traveling partner and mentor, Cody Lambert, who is now the livestock director of the PBR. It discusses how he misses his family. There's also a piece that discusses the late hall of famer Lewis Feild, who rode out of the limelight as Murray rode in. Jewel also mentioned him, though not by name, in her song "Stephenville, TX" which is on her Goodbye Alice in Wonderland album. She appears with him in one of the "Man Law" commercials.
On August 7, 2008, Murray and Jewel eloped to the Bahamas. Murray, 38, and Kilcher, 34, had been together for a decade when they decided to get married. There was no previous engagement announcement. "I dreamt about this day since I was a little girl on a ranch in Alaska," Jewel said. "It was relaxed and romantic. I wore a traditional wedding gown and diamonds, and he wore jeans and a button-down shirt. Ty's definitely my perfect prince."
On Monday evening, July 11, 2011, Jewel gave birth to a son. Jewel was 36 years old at the time. The baby boy weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces. Jewel and her husband had spent two years trying to conceive.
On July 2, 2014, Jewel announced on her blog that she and her husband Ty Murray had decided to get a divorce. She further elaborated that they had been engaged in a difficult but thoughtful separation. Jewel was age 40, while Murray was age 44. Their son turned three a week after the announcement. Jewel also confirmed that the couple would raise their son together.
Early in 2016, Murray took Duke on a long hike to Hope Lake, Colorado, to an altitude of 12,000 feet above sea level. It was a three mile trip. Duke shared that she had wanted to get married on a mountaintop. Murray and her mother realized that was logistically impossible. So Murray proposed to her on one instead. They planned their wedding for September. Duke had selected a natural spring in North Carolina to hold the wedding, which was actually an old rock quarry. The plan was for Murray's father and son to be his best men. Engagement details were available on Paige's Facebook page.
On September 30, 2017, Murray married Duke in Mooresville, North Carolina. Duke was born and raised in Lancaster, South Carolina. They were married at The Quarry at Carrigan Farms in Mooresville. Duke wore a white lace wedding gown, and Murray wore denim, a vest, and black cowboy hat. Murray's son wore an outfit that matched his father's. On September 24, 2018, Murray and Duke welcomed their first child together, a daughter.
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